Haparanda

Haparanda (Finnish:Haaparanta) is a city in Norrbotten, on the easternmost point in Sweden. The Finnish town Tornio is just across (part of) the Torne river.

The old water tower

Understand

Haparanda has been the easternmost outpost of Sweden since 1809 when Finland was lost to Russia. Haparanda has always been an important trading post, this continues until this day with the world's northernmost IKEA store, bringing customers from all across the Barents region. It is a great gateway to the wild north of Scandinavia. Most people here speak all of Swedish, Finnish and English.

The two towns Haparanda and Tornio are a showcase of cooperation across the border. Not only is the border more or less invisible, with people living, shopping and working on either side, regardless of the other two, or nationality, but there are also e.g. shared police patrols, with one in a pair taking command and responsibility depending on what side of the border they happen to be at.

Get in

By plane

Haparanda has no airport of its own, the nearest one being Kemi-Tornio airport on the Finnish side (24 km from Haparanda), whereto Finnair runs scheduled flights from Helsinki. From there you'll have to continue with the bus service (see Matkahuolto), the nearest bus stop of Kemi airport is named Kemi lentoasema th. From elsewhere in Sweden, fly to Luleå and take the bus to Haparanda.

By train

Although Haparanda has a train station, passenger services won't restart until late 2020. Two daily night trains operated by SJ, one from Stockholm and one from Gothenburg, terminate in Luleå with a connecting express bus to Haparanda waiting. If you arrive from Finland, there are seasonal overnight trains by VR from Helsinki that calls in Tornio, just across the river. Otherwise your best bet is Kemi, with quite frequent connections from all parts of Finland – from there you can take the bus to Tornio and walk across to Haparanda.

By car

Arriving by car is easy since Haparanda is on the E4 with roads in good shape (and close to E8). It is a border town so there is a fair share of heavy duty traffic coming through; see E4 through Sweden.

By bus

Express coaches from Sweden are handled by Länstrafiken Norrbotten, there are daily connections from cities like Kiruna, Luleå and Umeå, while some buses come all the way from Stockholm. Resrobot finds the best public transport routes.

From Finland there are frequent bus connections to Haparanda from Tornio and Kemi, but some lines extend even to the bus station in Oulu. Beware that all buses going to Finland depart according to local Finnish time, which is one hour ahead of time in Haparanda. The central organization for intercity bus traffic in Finland, Matkahuolto, provides schedule and ticket information on their website.

Get around

Ringlinjen connects most part of Haparanda and Tornio, fares are 15 kr for a single trip.

See

• 🌍 Haparanda Archipelago National Park, ☎ [phone]. The beautiful park includes two large islands, Seskarö and Seskar Furö, and a number of smaller islands and skerries. There is a boat going to Sandskär Island in June . Ringed seals and grey seals can be seen in the waters of the national park. 
• 🌍 Church of Haparanda. Church constructed in 1963 to replace the old church of Haparanda that was burned down. Sometimes called the ugliest church in Sweden due to the copper sheet that has darkened over the years. 
• 🌍 Stone Age settlements. At the northern outskirts of Haparanda. 
• 🌍 Hermansons Handelsgård, Storgatan 74. Hermansons trading house was built in 1832 and it is one of the best preserved buildings in Northern Sweden. 
• 🌍 Haparanda Railway Station. The station building was constructed in 1918. 
• 🌍 The old water tower (Gamla vattentornet). Like Paris and Pisa, also Haparanda has a tower overlooking the city! 

Do

Aludden, "Alder Peninsula" at Seskarö

• 🌍 Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens, Kukkolaforsen 184, ☎ [phone]. Different types of saunas and a fantastic view to the rapids. Local products from Meän Baakeri-bakery. A great restaurant and a café. In the summer time you can participate in long-handle net fishing and river rafting. 
• 🌍 Matkakoski Fiskecamp, Matkakoski 138, ☎ [phone]. Net fishing, fishing from a boat. Try the different saunas and have a barbecue at the grilling area! Also camping places for caravans and campers. 
• 🌍 Mattila bärodling, Mattila 235, ☎ [phone]. 3 km north of Haparanda. Try the local strawberries, black currants and broccoli! You can also buy these delicacies home, and even pick them yourself. 
• 🌍 Palogården, Vojakkala 137 (6 km north of central Haparanda), ☎ [phone]. Guided nature trips, trips to the forest for mushrooms and berries. Hunting, tractor safaris, clay-pigeon shooting, go-kart track and a smoke sauna. Also a summer café and restaurant. On the premises there is a hostel in a former a gardening and agricultural school. Rooms start at 200 kr. 
• 🌍 Aspen Karting Klubb, Vojakkala 167, ☎ [phone]. Open during summer time. An exciting go-kart track situated 9 km north of Haparanda. 
• 🌍 Björkagård, Almarksvägen, ☎ [phone]. Daily 08:00-19:0. A small animal farm with a donkey, a shetland pony, mini pigs, reindeers, a goat, rabbits and cats. 
• 🌍 Candy World & Lekland, Norrskensvägen 4. The largest candy store in Europe! A new playground for children. Day ticket 95 kr. 

Events

• Diggiloo. A music event in Haparanda with top Swedish artists. 

Buy

Swedish krona and euro are accepted in most stores.

• 🌍 IKEA HaparandaTornio, Norrskensvägen 2. The northernmost IKEA in the world, Iit and attracts people not from northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. The largest candy store in Europe among other interesting shops can be found in the IKEA operated Ikano mall next to the furniture store. 
• 🌍 Butiken på landet. In a beautiful country environment 35 km north from Haparanda, in the Hulkoff manor (Hulkoffgården). The name translates to "The shop on the countryside" 
• 🌍 Taavolagården, Mattila 218. 3 km north of Haparanda. You can buy tasty strawberries, fresh black currants and other local products or have a coffee in a beautiful early 19th-century environment. 
• 🌍 Tornedals Hemslöjd, Köpmansgatan 17. Furniture and othe locally made wooden objects. 
• 🌍 Kungsfiskaren, Storgatan 88, ☎ [phone]. Monday through Friday 09:00-17:00 and Saturday 09:00-14:00. Very well stocked for fishing supplies. 

Eat

Budget

There are several cheap restaurants scatterd in the city center, some serve only lunch. For cheap crub, head out the in-store IKEA restaurant.

• 🌍 Minerva, Torget 3, ☎ [phone]. A cosy café and lunch restaurant. Lunch is served M-F 11:00-13:30. 
• 🌍 Pizzeria Amanda, Repslagaregatan 57, ☎ [phone]. Daily 10:00-22:00. Pizza, grilled food, kebab, tex mex and salad. 
• 🌍 MAX, Norra Esplanaden 8 (in the Coop building 100 m from the border crossing). Daily 10:00-23:00. A hamburger restaurant with all sorts of freshly made hamburgers and salads, free WiFi and view towards Tornio. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Seskarö Wärdhus, Industrivägen 1, ☎ [phone]. During summer time à la carte and bistro every day until 21:00 o'clock. Buffet Sa-Su 13:00-18:00. 
• 🌍 Hulkoffgården, Korpikylä 197, ☎ [phone]. An ecological restaurant where they serve food produced at the farm. Also offers high standard Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Possibility to fish and hunt. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Kukkolaforsens Restaurang och Kafé (Kukkola forsen Restaurant and Café), Kukkolaforsen 184. 11:00-23:00 in the summer, 11:00-14:00 in the winter. 14 km from central Haparanda this restaurant serves mostly fish and wild game. 
• 🌍 Haparanda Stadshotell Restaurant, Torget 7, ☎ [phone]. À la carte every day at 16:00-22:00. Game cellar, pub, Café Gulasch Baronen, night club. 

Drink

• 🌍 Café Maya, Storgatan 92, ☎ [phone]. M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 12:00-17:00. Coffee and tea products. 
• 🌍 Café Station, Järnvägsgatan 21, ☎ [phone]. A youth café where you can surf the Internet and play pool. 
• 🌍 Nya Konditoriet, Storgatan 73, ☎ [phone]. M-F 08:00-17:00, Sa 09:00-15:00. Fresh bakery products. 

Sleep

Budget

• 🌍 Haparanda Vandrarhem, Strandgatan 26, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Situated by Tornio River in Haparanda centre. 23 rooms. Book ahead of time, as the reception desk is not always open during the advertised hours (16:00-19:00). From 200 kr per night. 
• 🌍 Harjugården, Harju 131, Karungi, ☎ [phone]. 35 km north of Haparanda. Comfortable rooms for 2-4 people, cottages, saunas. 
• 🌍 Långforsen, Lappträsk, ☎ [phone]. 25 km west of the Swedish Karungi village. Rooms and cottages for rent. Several saunas, a large hut, a scooter café and food. 
• 🌍 Revonsaari Camping, Revonsaari 409 (Situated 9 km north of Haparanda.), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Tent and caravan/camper spots and a large cottage. 
• 🌍 Seskarö Strandby & Camping, Tromsövägen 1, Seskarö (on the beautiful Seskarö island, 25 km south of Haparanda), ☎ [phone]. The camping site is open during the summer. Various cottages and camper/caravan/tent spots. A beach, mini golf track, campfire places and possibility to fish. Kiosk and grill-café. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Norrskens Hotell & Camping, Mattila 233, ☎ [phone]. content 3 km north of Haparanda centre. 10 rooms and 50 camping places. 
• 🌍 Sverigefinska folkhögskolan, Torget 3, ☎ [phone]. In Haparanda centre. 23 hotel standard rooms and cooking facilities. In summer time also 28 hostel rooms. 
• 🌍 Älvagård, Vojakkala 287, ☎ [phone]. Situated 8 km north of Haparanda in charming countryside surroundings. 
• 🌍 Nivagården, Korpikylä 224, ☎ [phone]. 35 km north of Haparanda. A well equipped cottage for 7 people. Farm animals. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Haparanda Stadshotell, Torget 7, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Old-time glory in Haparanda centre. 92 rooms, a restaurant, game cellar, sauna compartment. In the center of the city. From 925 kr per night. 
• 🌍 Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens, Kukkolaforsen 184, ☎ [phone]. 15 km north of Haparanda next to beautiful rapids. Cottages, different types of saunas and a restaurant. Also places for tents, campers and caravans. 

Connect

Go next

Turn your clock forward one hour, change currency to euro, get your Finnish phrasebook and cross the Torne river into Tornio.

See also E4 through Sweden.

Routes through Haparanda

Stockholm ← Luleå ←

W  E

→ Tornio → END